The Iron Age 1892-11-10: Vol 50

‘THE The Charles Hillman Ship and Engine Building Company. In consequence of the revolution which has taken place within recent years in naval construction, many old established shipbuilding concerns who have hitherto confined their efforts to the building of wooden vessels have now turned their at- tention to iron and steel shipbuilding. Among other firms so situated are the Charles Hillman Ship and Engine Build- ing Company, Philadelphia, who have long been known in the business. Their shipyard and marine railway on the Delaware have been located in their pres- ent quarters since the middle of the cent- ury. Originally founded by John birely, THuRSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1892. new enterprise is now on the stocks in the shape of an iron screw passenger and freight steamer for the Ericsson Line, ply- ing between Philadelphia and Baltimore by way of the Delaware & Chespeake Canal. She is a boat 210 feet long over all, 24 feet in beam and 104 feet deep. The en- gines, which have been built at the yard, are of compound type, with cylinders 20 inches low and 40 inches high pressure, and 28inch stroke. She will be ready for launching early in December. The company have also a contract for the con struction of an iron double-ended screw ferry steamer for the Delaware. They an- ticipate securing a fair share of business in their new line, and have made very ample preparation for it in the recent ad- Although not as ditions to their plant. IRON AGE Five-Ton Hand Traveling Crane. Conditions made it necessary to operate a crane from above, and not by suspended chains as usual, and that two men should easily be able to raise the full load of 10,000 pounds. The hight of lift is 20 feet, span center to center of rails 39 feet 6 inches, and the clear hight from base of tramway rail to base of truss is 6 feet 6 inches. Pawling & Hamischfeger of Mil- waukee, Wis., met these requirements by the design shown in the accompanying en- gravings. The bridge consists of two steel beams securely connected at the ends and carried by strong truck brackets and double- flanged chilled wheels which are ground true to size and face and fitted with steel the concern was known until war times as | ‘John Birely & Son’s Ship Yard.” In 1864 the original firm was extended by Charles Hillman, the head of the present establishment, joining it in conjunction with a Mr. Streaker, the concern being then known as Birely, Hillman & Streaker, in which form it continued until four years ago, when Charles Hillman bought out the interests of his partners, and car- ried on the whole as Charles Hillman & Co., the company being incorporated under their present title in the current year. During the late war the ship- yard was very actively employed in the construction of gunboats for the Federal Government; a considerable num ber of these vessels having been turned off their slips within a very short time. This circumstance gave the yard a prestige which it has always maintained since. Recognizing the modern improve- ments in marine architecture, the Charles Hillman Company have within the last few months provided themselves with all the necessary facilities for iron ship- building; and their initial effort in the FIVE-TON TRAVELING CRANE, yet of very large extent it is complete in| axles and bronze boxes. every respect and thoroughly efficient for its purpose. 100 x 36 feet has been erected, the lower floor of which is used as a ma chine erecting shop, well equipped with modern tools by the best mak- ers. The upper floor is the joiners’ and pattern shop, all the fittings for the vessels being made on the spot. A very fine molding loft, 150 feet long and 38 feet wide, has also been added, as well as a capacious furnace, which is stated to be able to heat a bar of iron 46 feet long to a cherry red in six minutes. It is also adapted to heating sheets up to 6 feet in width. Some large tools have been lately added to the plant, including a massive pair of rolls capable of working a plate of iron 16 feet wide; also a heavy counter sinker, punch and shears, and a planer for plate edges, which are equal to almost any work that could be required. The officers of the Charles Hillman Company are Chas. Hillman, president; B. G. Hill- map, vice-president; Jas. Hillman, secre- tary, and J. J. Hiilman, treasurer. A two-story building | Two of these wheels are fitted with gears and driven by pinions in a square cross shaft carried at one side of the bridge, as shown. Consid- jerable lateral stability is given to the bridge by the two side platforms, which are made and attached in a manner to se- cure this object. The trolley is fitted with two sets of hand cranks: one set to travel the bridge and trolley and the other for hoisting, and in such a manner that the cranks clear one another. Like the bridge, the trolley is also carried by chilled wheels ground true to size and fit- ted with steel axles, brass bushes and grease cups, as shown. Two of these wheels are coupled together and geared to the rear hand shaft, and by means of a sliding sleeve either the trolley-travel or the bridge-travel gears may be operated. The hoisting train is arranged for two speeds of hoist in the manner shown; the change from one to the other being made by slid- ing a clutched sleeve into the large or small pinions. The second shaft is pro- vided with a self-sustaining brake, and the load may be either lowered by hand or p> x: S 4 =a ate ab "? oo ’ 5 as oss SS — * » FSP = ae > > aD sf , er aes = '% St Age 2 Se aD FO xing 876 THE IRON AGE. November 10, 1899 allowed to run down more or less quickly by pulling the brake lever. The design of the trolley secures great strength with as little weight as possible and at the same time long and well-supported bearings for every shaft and journal. The hook block is entirely of steel, with the exception of the sheave; this is fitted with a graphite bushing, and the hook nut rests on a graphite washer so that it may swivel freely at all times. SHIPBUILDING NOTES. Launch of the ** Olympia.” By Te legraph. SAN FRANCISCO, November 5. The protected cruiser No. 6, known as the ‘‘Olympia,” after the capital of Wash- ington, was launched at 11.25 to day from the yards of the Union Iron Works. The ‘‘Olympia” is not only the largest ship that has ever been launched on the Pacific Cozst, but she is also the largest of her type in the United States Navy. This is the vessel that was author- ized by the same act of Congress that appropriated the money for the con- struction of the *‘ Cincinnati.” The limit of her cost was put at $1,800,000, exclusive of the cost of the armament or of any pre- miums that she may earn because of in- creased speed over the guarantee. Tne bid of the Unicn Iron Works was $1,796,000 for the vessel, machinery, fit- ting and placing the armor. The ship is of a well-known type, but exceeds in size any of her predecessors in the United States Navy, and also the majority of the foreign vessels of her class. Her principal dimensions are: Length on load water line, 340 feet; breadth of beam, 53 feet; normal mean draft, 214 feet: estimated horse- power, 13,800; guaranteed sea speed on official trial, 20 Knots; estimated cruis- ing speed, 19 knots; endurance at 10 knois speed, 13,000 miles, The propelling engines are rights and lefts and are of the vertical inverted cyl- inder, direct-acting, triple expansion type, each with a high-pressure cylinder 42 inches, an intermediate cylinder, 59 inches, and a low-pressure cylinder 92 inches in diameter, the stroke of all pis- tons being 42 inches. Itis estimated that the collective horse-power of the engincs, making about 129 revolutions a minute, will be 13,500. All shafting is hollow and is made of mild open-hearth steel. The crank shafts are mace in three inter- changeable and reversible sections. The propellers are of the right and left setting and are to be of maganese bronze or of approved equivalent metal. There are four double ended and two single ended steel boilers of the horizontal and return fire tube type, all constructed for a work- ing pressure of 160 pouncs per square inch. They will be placed in four water- tight compartments, and there will be two athwartship firerooms in each of the boiler compartments. The forced draft system will consist of one blower for each fireroom, discharging iuto an air-tight fireroom. The main battery will consist of four 8-inch breech-loading rifles and ten 5-inch rapid-firing guns. The 8 inch rifles will be mounted on the main deck forward and aft in the center line on barbettes 4 inches thick, with inclined turrets of the same thickness over the guns. These guns will be about 10 feet above the main deck and 26 feet above the water line, and will have very great train. The 5-inch guns will be mounted in the superstruct ures in such a way that four of rhem can fire right ahead, five on either beam and four astern. The secondary battery will consist of fourteen 6 pounder and six 8-pounder rapid-firing guns, four Gatling guns and six torpedo tubes. Launch of the ** Cincinnati,’ To-day the protected cruiser ‘‘Cincin- nati” is to be launched at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The ‘‘ Cincinnati” was au- thorized by an act of Congress approved on September 7, 1888, with the provision that she should have a speed of at least 19 knots, and that the cost should not ex- ceed $1,100,000. The advertisements for bids were first published on June 14, 1889, and when the bids were opened, on August 22, it was found that none of them com- plied with the requirements of the act, but all were much in excess of the limit of cost specified. The only alternative for the Navy Department was to build her at a navy yard. Tbe dimensions of the ‘‘ Cincinnati” are: Length on load water line, 300 feet; breadth of beam, 42 feet; draft at cruising trim, 18 feet; displacement, with 60} tons of nickel steel armor, 3183. The keel is of two thicknesses of steel, and the hull is divided into numerous water-tight com- partments by transverse and longitudinal bulkheads, The space between the two latter to be used as auxiliaries—and these will be placed in four water-tight com- partments. The working steam pressure is to be 160 pounds to the square inch. The battery of this vessel will consist of ten 5-inch rapid-firing guns, one 6-inch breech-loading rifle, eight 6-pounder and four 1 pounder rapid firing guns, two Gat- ling guns and six torpedo launching tubes. Armor for the Cruiser ** New York.’ The Navy Department has been notified that the Carnegie Steel Company have completed about 200 tons of armor plate for the cruiser ‘‘New York” and will make the delivery as soon as the result of the test plate is known. This plate has been sent to the Indian Head proving grounds. [t is an 8 inch nickel steel plate. The group it repre- sents is for the side armor of the ‘*New York.” Test of Armor Plates. The recent test of 14 inch Bethlehem armor plates at the Indian Head proving — —— e Side Elevation, FIVE-TON TRAVELING CRANE, hulls will be filled with woodite, a sub- stance similar to cellulose, for counteract ing the dangerous effect of projectiles, especially those charged with high explo- sives. Woodite has a base of India rubber and is especially prepared to keep its elas. ticity. The machinery and boilers of the *‘ Cin cinnati ” were designed by the officers in the Bureau of Steam Engineering at Wash ington, and they have been built under the supervision and direction of Chief Engineer J. H. Chasmer and Past Assistant En- yineer George H. Kearney. It was in- tended to mount them in the vessel before she should be launched, but the recent fire at the New York Navy Yard, in which the engines were damaged in some of their parts, made necessary a change in the original plan. At the test of the engines a few days before the fire they were found to work most satisfactorily. They are of the triple-expansion type, in two sets, each of which has two low- pressure cylinders 57 inches in diameter, one intermediate cyl- inder of a diameter of 53 inches and one high-pressure cylinder 36 inches in diame- ter; the common stroke is 33 inches. One set of engines will be attached to each of the twin screws. The screws are now being made at the yard, of manganese bronze. There are four double ended boilers and two single ended boilers—the grounds confirms the belief that the plates furnished to our battle ships are the best in the world, but also puts in a favorable light our American projectiles. Shots were fired by the 10-inch gun, as provided by the contract, and all the heavy project- iles rebounded, being unable to perforate the plate. The projectiles were all driven back, but while the Holtzer shells suf- fered from the impact, the Carpenter shells, made in this country, came out in good shape and carried off the laurels from their foreign competitors. This test of 14-inch armor, like the preceding one, shows better results than could have been hoped for a few years ago. Great interest will attach to the approaching trial of the 17-inch turret armor of the battle ships. Against this a 12 inch gun will be used, three shots being fired, with a striking velocity of 1332 feet per second. Machinery for the ** Brooklyn,» The Bureau of Steam Engineering has completed the designs for the machinery of the new armored cruiser ‘‘ Brooklyn,” the sister ship of the ‘‘New York.” Although somewhat similar to the machin- ery of the ** New York,” thé designs for the ** Brooklyn” are in many respects an improvement over the former vessel. The designs call for four sets of pro- pelling engincs, placed in four water-tight November 10, 1892 THE IRON AGE. compartments, separated by bulkheads. Taere will be two sets of engines on each shaft. The crank shafts of the two sets of engines for each propeller are so ar- ranged that by means of an easily operated coupling the forward set may be quickly and easily connected with or disconnected from the after one at will. For ordinary cruising the after set attached to each shaft will beused. The engines will be of the vertical inverted direc’-acting triple- expansion type, each with a high pressure cylinder 32 inches; an intermediate-press- ure cylinder 47 inches, and a low- pressure cylinder 72 inches in diameter, the stroke of all pistons being 42 inches. I; is estimated that the collective indi- cated horse power of propelling, air pump and circulating pump engines should be about 16,000 when the main engines are making about 129 revolutions per minute. The high-pressure cylinder of each engine will be forward and the low-pressure cylinder aft. The crank-shafts will be made in three s2ctions. All shafting will be hollow. There will be one condenser for each propelling engine. Each main condenser will have a cooling surface of about 5681 square feet, measured on the outside of the tubes, the water passing through the tubes, For each set of pro- fig. 4.—Steel Hub Band, Second Pass. pelling engines there will be two in- dependent double-acting horizontal air pumps, each worked by asingle horizontal steam cylinder. The main circulating pump; will be of the centrifugal type, one for each con- denser, worked independently. Each after engine room will have an auxiliary condenser of sufficient capacity for one- | half the auxiliary machinery, each con- denser being connected with all the auxil- | iary machinery. Each of these condensers will have a combined air and circulating | pump. There will be five double-ended main | and two single-ended boilers (to be used as main or auxiliary boilers) of the hori- zontal return fire tube type, all to be made of steel. All the boilers will be 16 feet 3 inches outside diameter. Four of the| double-ended boilers will be about 18 feet long, and one will be 19 feet 114 inches long. The two single-ended boilers will be 9 feet 44 inches in length, all con-| structed for a working pressure of 160, pounds to the square inch. The boil- ers will be placed in three water-tight | compartments, each compartment contain- | ing two athwartship firerooms. Two) double-ended boilers will be placed in the forward and two in the after compart- ment. In the middle compartment the larger double ended boiler will be placed on the port side and two single ended boilers will be placed back to back on the! 877 starboard side. Each of the double-ended | boilers will have eight corrugated furnace | flues, 3 feet 4 inches internal diameter. The total heating surface for all the boilers will be about 33,353 square feet, | measured on the outer surface of the tubes, ani the grate surface 1016 square feet. There will be three smoke pipes, each 100 feet high above grate of lower furnace. The forced draft system will consist of two blowers for each fireroom, the blow- ers discharging into an air-tight fireroom. Work on the ‘““New York.” Owing te delay in furnishing the armor plates, the work on the cruiser New York, at the Cramps’ shipyard, has been delayed considerably. The 10-inch plates for the barbettes have not be2n received. The 4 inch plates for the side belts are being rap- idly put in place. The engines and boilers are all in place and are being connected, It will probably be early in the year before the vessel is ready for her trial trip. —$—$_$_—_— aaa Random Shop Notes. At the Stark Machine and Tool Works, Buffalo, N. Y., we recently saw some specimens of superior work in the line of | tau ge ce Fig. 2 —Drau n from Galranized lron. | | | Fig. 5.—Steel Hub Band, Third Pass RANDOM SHOP NOTES drawing sheet metals. Fig. 1 shows a| shell 9 inches wide by 44 inches deep, | ing it to 1j inches. Next the edge around the top was trimmed and a hole punched through the bottom. The final pass to form the completed article, as shown in Fig. 6, turned in the metal around the hole and formed a double band around what we might call the outer edge of the hub, the dimensions then being 2°, inches wide and the folded-in part being 4% inch. These were made for Pratt & Letchworth, carriage manufacturers, of ; Buffalo, and are intended as bands to be placed on the ends of hubs. The work throughout showed the excellent quality of the metal and of the machine and dies by means of which it was manipulated, and we may state that the turned-in part forming the reinforcing band gave no in- dication by break or crack that the metal had been handled too severely. An admirable peculiarity, which we could not help noticing in passing through these works, was the unusual condition of cleanliness, even in the present day of clean shops. Upon inquiry, we were in- formed that a very simple method had been devised in order to accomplish this. The night watchman is, of course, pro- vided with the usual indicators by means of which the time of his rounds during the night is noted, and, perhaps what is Fig. 35.—Steel Hub Band, First Pass. Fia. 6.— Steel Hub Band, Final Pass more important to him, he is given all the chips. All his spare time, therefore, dur- | drawn at a single pass from 16 ounce cop- | ing the night is employed in cleaning up per. The peculiarity of this specimen | the different machines and gathering the lies in the fact that when it came from the | chips together, and it has been presumed, machine the surface was perfectly smooth | and an inspection of the shop proves it to |central raised portion was forced down- |}and was ready for the buffing wheel. | These are drawn at the rate of 6000 a) day. The quality of the work is due| almost entirely to the superior finish of the dies, and, of course, the necessarily | close fitting and accuracy of the machine | doing the work. The next drawing, Fig. 2, represents | work in galvanized iron, the finished piece | being a dome measuring 10 inches wide by | 2 inches at the deepest part. This work was done in a single action back-geared | power press, and we were informed that it was the first time such a shape had ever been stamped with less than three passes. | The upper line shows the first pass, an annular and shallow curve being sunk in the flat about half way between the edge and the center. In the next pass the ward, forming the perfect curve of the dome, as shown in the lower line. The next four drawings show the method of making a steel hub band, the work being done in an ordinary draw press, from a disk of No. 18 sheet steel. At the first pass a cup was formed 2} inches wide x 1,4, inches deep, the next pass narrowing the cup to 24inches in width and deepen- be so, that little of any value in his in- dividual scrap pile is overlooked. In connection with the office is con- ducted a small printing establishment, provided with all necessary type and a hand pres:, for the printing of such circu- lars as may be necessary in the business, The introduction of this plant has given much satisfaction, as it has been found that circulars can be quickly gotten out, | can be printed in the necessary quantity, and can, whenever required, be quickly duplicated. It has further been calculated that it has been at least self-supporting if not cheaper than outside work, besides being more convenient. ee The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company announce that here- after the rate from Chicago to Wyoming points on cast-iron pipe, including coup- lings and connections, in carload lots, will be 74 cents less than class B rates, from Peoria 6} cents less than class B, and from Mississippi River points 5 cents less. On wire, wire staples, nails and spikes (except copper), fifth-class rates will gov- ern straight or mixed carloads. ~H rig et —- ee rs Guitintin. wenn 7 . = : , = _ Lots . ae l- Fhe ewes ee . — x ae s * ood " | { ery fe \ ae 1 } ic. in - Ee Se = Sees oa ~~ >a . ; ner "TEs - a % + ee fs . i Lt 7 eee a \ = ee ah ee — £ w& 878 States. The Park Department of New York re- cently let a contract to the Passaic Roll- ing Mill Company of Paterson, N. J., for the building of a drawbridge over the Harlem River on the site occupied by the old McComb’s Dam bridge. A sub-con- | THE IRON AGE, The First Steel Caisson in the United | metal caisson was ever used in the United States. The center pier will be sunk by a | circular steel caisson, 59 feet in diameter by 15 feet high, and on top of this, as the caisson sinks by the usual pneumatic proc- ess, will be erected a timber ring, form- ing practically an extension of the circular portion of the caisson proper, and in which the masonry will be erected as in a coffer- dam. November 10, 1899 D. E. Moran, of the Sooysmith Company, and are now being sunk. There is nothing unusual in the method of sinking, the roof of the caisson, as indi- cated in the accompanying half-plan, be- ing provided with the usual air shafts for men and supplies and for the removal of excavated material. Upon reaching the necessary depth the caisson will be filled with concrete. The caisson for the south ‘ y ‘4 NG - , \ / y ‘ . — , e // we /f Fig. 3.—Vertica! Section Fig. 4.—Vertieal Se End Wall. Side Wall, Fig, 2.—Half Side Elevation, o + VN + a a VN AY ZN GN ume /). _ RSE ten dee RSS Oren ction Fig. 6.—Section on gh of Fig. 2. THE FIRST STEEL CAISSON IN THE UNITED tract was let to Sooysmith & Company of | New York for the foundations for the end and center piers. The drawbridge is to be 415 feet long and 664 feet wide, and have a clear opening each side of the pivot pier of 165 feet, the distance between the | bulkhead lines to be 400 feet, this width having been determined by the Govern- ment in their work on the Harlem River improvement. The clear hight is to be 28 feet above high water. The most peculiar feature connected with the construction of the bridge is the employment of steel caissons in place of wooden ones, this being the first time a Fig. 7.—Section onabof Fig. 2. STATES. The most important consideration lead-| pier consists of a rectangular steel box, ing to the adoption of steel for the cais- sons was the fact that wooden caissons, in order to clear the prescribed bulkhead lines, would have added materially to the lergth of the bridge, the thickness of the side walls accounting for this. By em- ploying steel this difficulty is obviated, since the walls are but 4 inch thick and the caisson can then, therefore, be sunk on the bulkhead line and the masonry erected on the line, making the overlap of the bridge at each end but 74 feet beyond that called for by the distance between the piers. These caissons were designed by measuring 100 x 19 feet, with a clear inside hight of 7 feet 94 inches. The top is di- vided into panels, as shown in the plan, by means of steel I-beams placed across the top. The side walls are stiffened by inside brackets arranged as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Details of the connections and joints are plainly brought out in the remaining figures. All the rivets have boiler hea ds on the outside. The caissons were bu ilt and assembled at the works of the Passaic Rolling Mill Company, were then taken apart and carried to the Harlem River, where they were again assembled and November 10, 1892 brought into position. The bridge itself will be operated by steam through two pinions engaging with a rack on the pivot pier. In starting the bridge for open- ing, the work of the engine will be aug- mented by two hydraulic jacks, one placed at each end, and in closing the bridge will be started by a similar arrange- ment of hydraulic jacks on the fender pier. The work is in charge of A. P. Boller, the well-known bridge engineer, who designed the bridge just north of this for Fig. 5.—Section on ¢ d of Fig. 2. THE FIRST STEEL THE IRON AGE, 87% State contract for 35,000 tons of steel Guion Line made an average of 205.3 hours rails, the next lowest tender being an/| with the *‘ Alaska” in 2887, but in 1892 the English firm. | Same steamer only made an average of 214 (hours. The fastest average from New | York to Paris was made in 1887 by ‘‘ La Sourgogne ” of the General Transatlantic Line, 202 hours. In 182 ‘* La Touraine” A comparison of the time of transit of | of the same line reduced the average to — ee — Time of Transit Across the Atlantie. mails in 1887 with that of 1892 shows the increase in speed of the Atlantic steamers. In 1887 the fastest average during the year between New York and London was made Fig 8.—Section on k | of Fiq. 1. | 198.5 hours. I The San Francisco Chamber of Com- merce advocates the establishment of a oe Fig. 9 —Section on m n of Fig. 1. Fig. 10.—Section on r s of of Fig. 1. CAISSON IN THEE UNITED Fig. 11.—Section on e f of Fig. 2. STATES. the New York & Northern Railroad, and | by the Cunard steamer ‘‘ Umbria” in 187.5 | first-class line of ocean freight steamships who acts as consulting engineer. The keel has been laid in Roach’s ship- | yard for the mammoth steamer ordered | for the Fall River Line. The new boat | will be 450 feet long. The W. & A. | hours. In 1892 the average time of the |}same steamer was 184.5. The Inman steamer ‘‘ City of Chicago’ made an aver age during 1887 of 241.6 hours. In 1892 the ‘** City of New York ” of the same line made an average of 179.4 hours. In 1887 the fastest time made by the White Star Line Fletcher Company of Hoboken were given | was an average of 219.8 hours by the theentire contract, the same as the Fall! « Britannic.” In 1892 the ‘‘ Teutonic” of River management did by them in the the same line made an average of 175.5 case of the “Pilgrim” and ‘‘ Puritan.” | hours. The Hamburg American Line made This is the largest moneyed contract ever | awarded an American firm for building a| single vessel outside of the navy. The} name suggested for her is ‘‘ Columbus.” The great Belgian engineering company at Seraing have just scored an important success in tendering for a Roumanian an average of 240.7 hours in 1887 with the ‘¢ Hammonia,” but in 1892 the ** Fuerst Bis- marck ” of that line reduced the average to 171.3 hours. In 1887 the fastest aver age of the steamers of the North Ger- man Lloyd Line was 199.3 hours by the ‘*Trave ”’ In 1892 the **‘ Havel” of this line reduced the average to 182.8 hours. The of large tonnage to run between that port and points on the Atlantic Coast, the ves- sels to be built of steel, fitted with the most modern engines, and adapted to serv- ice by the Nicaragua Canal, which the Californians are ‘‘ confident will be com- pleted in the near future.” Prof. George C. Baker’s new submarine boat, which was recently constructed in Detroit for the torpedo service, was towed into Chicago after a perilous voyage. The | boat is 40 feet long, 9 feet wide and 14 feet deep. She weathered the storm by | being lowered about 10 feet below the | surface of the lake and was raised every | two hours to enable those on board to ob- tain a supply of fresh air. 77 “ <> aso Sie = i J” —_-—--- aie ~~ pag Ff A ~ he =e i Ey “=< ae — Y >) / a +S yy i ins ere . : athneie Mie ee. 4 > er — > y eee BS ee, ees: Se : ee 7 ” er ~ J 4 eee are = — Pa a Lf M- UR APE wey y . “a Hh : 5 j ‘ 4 ‘ pi 880 The Foundrymen’s Associa- tion. The first annual meeting of the Foundry- men’s Association was held on Wednesday evening, November 2, at the Manufact- urers’ Club, Philadelphia, Francis Schu- mann, the president, in the chair. There were present, of the Philadelphia mem- bers and guests, the following: Fravcis Schumann, Tacony Iron and Metal Company. Walter Wood, R. D. Wood & Co. Ed. Bureau and Eduard Bureau, Bureau Bros. Justice Cox, Jr. H. C. Vansant, Morris Tasker & Co., Limited. E. E. Brown, E. E. Brown & Co. Josiah Thompson, I. 8S. Cassin & Co. W. N. Barrows, G. S Emerick & Co. P. Kearns, Stuart & Peterson Company. Thom:s Glover, Glover Brcs. Stanley G. Flagg, Jr., Stanley G. Flagg & Co. Howard Bing, James Bing. Arthur W. Howe. C. R. Baird, Chamberlain, Turney & Baird. D. J. Matleck, I. P. Morris Company. Ralph H. North, North Bros. Mfg. Company. Chas. T. Holbrook, Juniata Furnace & Foundry Company. J. Sellers Bancroft, Wm. Sellers & Co., [oc. Wm. Adams and W. H. Hunt, Wm. Adams & Co. Thos. Hobson, The Tron Ave. Hy. Ruhland, Hy. Rubland & Co. Wm. Wark, Dienelt & Eisenhardt. Joo, Birkiobine. Theo. B. Rohrman. A. C. Mott and W. H. Pfaehler, Abram Cox Stove Company. H. W. Butterworth, H. W. Butterworth & Sons. A. B. Paxson, H. M. Bougher and How- ard Evans of J. W. Paxson & Co. There were present also from other cities: Robert J. Register, J. Register & Sons, Baltimore. E, E. Durant, G. F. Warner Mfg. Com- pany, New Haven, Conn. P. D. Wanner, Mellert Foundry and Machine Co., Reading, Pa. T. B. Harkins, T. B. Harkins Foundry Company, Bristol, Pa. W. H. Green, and W. H. Green, Jr., Vulcan Works, Chester, Pa. Edward Betts, Betts Machine Company, Wilmington, Del. John Hanes, Woodstown, N. J. H. M. Kolb, Lansdale Iron Works, Lans- dale, Pa. W. H. Fairlamb, Harlan & Hollings- worth Company, Wilmington, Del. John D. Newbold, R. 8S. Newbold & Son, Norristown, Pa. George A. Messick, Pusey, Jones & Co., Wilmington, Del. Alfred D. Poole, J. Morton Poole Com- psny, Wilmington, Del. C. Kirchhoff, editor Ze Iron Age, New York. H. F. Pickels, Wilmington Pipe and Foundry Company, Wilmington, Del. E. M. Mumford of Henry R. Worthing- ton, Elizabetbport, N. J. J. W. Todd, Diamond State Iron Com. pany, Wilmington, Del. Alexander W. Fyfe, of Bell & Fyfe Foundry Company, Brooklyn, N. Y. After the adoption of the minutes of the preceding meeting, which were read by the secretary, Howard Evans of J. W. Paxson & Co., the report of the Executive Committee was presented. It dealt largely THE IRON AGE, with a proposal to exchange among the members information concerning credits, but the subject was not finally disposed of, The relations between the association and the Manufacturers’ Lesgue and the Cham- ber of Commerce of Philadelphia to the railroads were explained by the secretary. Some time since the Foundrymen’s As- sociation requested the Department of State to secure through the consular offi cers of the United States in England, France and Germany information on the following points: 1. Is there any combination, association or understanding among iron-foundry men for the regulation of the selling prices of their product ? 2. What are the average wages paid for the different classes of labor in iron foun- dries ? 3. What are the average prices paid by foundrymen for iron, fuel, sand and other materials required by them ? 4. What are the average selling prices of the following different classes of iron castings: a. Loam castings. }. Dry sand castings. c. Green-sand castings, composed of light castings, weighing less than 500 pounds, and heavy castings weighing over 500 pounds, d, Chilled iron car wheels. e. Cast-iron water and gas pipes. J. Steel castings. The asscciation has been advised by Alvey A. Adee, second assistant secretary, that a request to collect the information has gone to the consular officers in the countries named, Alexander M. Fyfe of Brooklyn gave a report of the prices obtained for castings at Dundee, Scotland. Asa result of a com- bination among the founders the prices are higher than those prevailing in this country, although wages are much lower and pig iron is about $6 perton less. Coke costs about as much, while sand is a little higher. The result of the conditions at Dundee is that a concern employing only 14 molders made a profit of $15,000 a year. The prices received in Dundee excited consider- able comment. Among other data reported it was stated that the lowest figure on record in this country thus far is that madein the sale of about 10,000 tons of yokes and sheaves for the Baltimore cable road, being $28 per gross ton delivered, Baltimore, or 1.25 cents per pound, taken by a Lehigh Valley foundry. The following officers were then elected for the ensuing year: President—F. Schumann, Tacony Iron and Metal Company, Philadelphia. Vice-President—Thomas Devlin, of Thomas Devlin & Co., Philadelpbia. Treasurer— Josiah Thompson, of I. 8. Cassin & Co., Philadelphia. Secretary—Howard Evans, of J. W. Paxson & Co. Executive Committee—Walter Wood, R. D. Wood & Co., chairman; H. C. Van. sant, Morris Tasker & Co., Limited; Thomas Glover, Glover Brothers; L. B. Whitney, of A. Whitney & Sons; Stanley G. Flagg, Jr., of 8S. G. Flagg & Co. Francis Schumann then read the follow- ing: PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS, This, the first anniversary of our asso- ciation, is a fitting occasion for a retro- spect of the reasons for its formation, its progress and au expression of views of what is essential toward its efficiency in promoting our mutual welfare. In the course of the last few years, the condition gradually developed that the foundry industry was suffering from ab- anormal competition resulting in serious depressions in the price for the product. A growing spirit of reserve, distrust if not animosity, between foundry operators, due probably to the rapidly changing con- November 10, lov2 ditions in modes and methods of competi- tion in recent years, tended to separate them and keep them apart. In no kindred industry was there so little intercourse. While their employees were fraternizing and exchanging views relating to their mutual advancement and protection, the operators persisted in a rigid, suspicious behavior to one another. They heard of each others’ doings through their employees or customers only, who, having solely their own interest at heart, soon discovered how to advantageously utilize this feeling of distrust and want of harmony. Only one result could be expected from such a condition—a condition existing at a time when in our country, at least, we were undergoing an adjustment between production and consumption so critical that only by the exercise of concerted action could prices be maintained in allied industries. The foundryman availed him- self of no such safeguards; he battled singly and alone, bitterly complaining of the continual cutting of prices, which was lessening his profits more and more. The future looked gloomy. Why was this so? Exercising all his energy, ex- perience and economy, he could not exist at the prices paid for his product. While other industries were subject to this same adjustment of supply and demand, they still maintained prices that were, under the circumstances, satisfactory. While the wages paid by foundrymen were the same, or nearly so, as in previous years when profits were better, they were not more than those paid by allied in- dustries. The cost of raw material was even less than in the more profitable years. The anxiety for the future and a dawning knowledge that by concerted action only could serious results be averted, finally brought us together and led to the forma- tion of this association—an association which, let us hope, will continue to exist as long as iron is melted, We have come together to foster and promote mutual respect, friendship, reli- ance and confidence, which are the ele- ments of that unity of action needed for our general welfare. So far, the results have been most satisfactory; we are making converts rapidly ; our member- ship roll has been greatly augmented; ap- plications for membership are presented at nearly every meeting, and we have repre- sentatives in all sections of the country. The most serious doubt, that of numerical strength, has been dissipated. The purpose of this association being the advancement and protection of our in- terests, the most vital of which is the maintenance of prices, we naturally look for the causes interfering therewith. Sum- marizing them, we have: The gradual evolution of the foundries as producers of castings only, distinct and separate from any other industry. Their rapid growth in numbers, lack of cohesion as an indus- trial body, and consequent weakness to maintain prices. The absolute lack of apy code of practice either written or un- written, qualifying and condemning that which is unfair, unbusiness like or dishon- orable in their dealings. We can correctly divide our industry into two great branches. Of one the product is a standard article, be it a stove, pulley, sash weight, pipe or car wheel, the cost of producing either of which is well understood and known by the respective foundrymen, and for which prices can be readily fixed. The other great branch produces castings so varied in character and often so different from anything pre- ceding that the making of a price is wholly the result of individual judgment, or rather guessing, which may prove good or bad after the work is completed. In this branch of our business, especially among those engaged in the casting of general machinery and building material, the greatest cutting of prices prevailed. The causes for this were many. In past years our industry was combined with ma. chine shops, more so when on a large scale, only smaller shops doing a repair business, or perhaps manufacturing a specialty, were without foundries, obtain- ing their castings either from the larger shops or jobbing foundries, which were few in numbers and on a limited scale. The gradual growth of machine shops without foundries naturally developed the business of the jobbing foundries. This was eminently so in larger business cen- ters, where special machine builders con- gregated. In time, as the jobbing foun- dries multiplied to meet the increasing demand for castings, the competition for the work, of course, kept pace, and the older combined shops were crowded out as mere sellers of castings, limiting their foundries to the supply of such castings as were required in the building of their machines, except during dull periods, when they competed with the jobbing foundries, even if at losing prices, to keep up their foundry organization for their legitimate business, Before the era of jobbing foundries the price of castings was not a factor affecting the welfare of any one; of course, economy was esseotial, but only so far as it formed a part of the expense in producing a ma- chine, no more than the cost of forgings or machine labor. In fact, the making of castings was not an industry as it is to- day, but merely the product of one of the departments of a machine shop. To-day the prices of castings are fixed by the job- bing foundry, to which the combination shops must adjust themselves, retaliating by becoming a most dangerous cutter of prices when trade is dull. The cutting of prices was not so much due to lack of work as it was to bad guessing and jealousy, The more the bidders the worse the guess. Shrewd buyers, aware of this weaknesss, went from foundry to foundry until they found the guesser they wanted. Thus it happened that brokers or middlemen could undertake contracts for castings at prices less than those submitted by competitors who were actually engaged in the foundry business—the broker pitting against them the bad guess of some brother foundryman not in the griginal competition. Many of these evils can be corrected by a proper code of practice—for example: The issue of a synopsis of the bids after a contract is awarded, and the insistence that bids shall be received and opened at stated time, after which no bid shall be valid. This method is in vogue by the Government and building trades, and has undoubtedly proved a benetit to all con. cerned. Only by concerted action can we remove these causes, and concerted action must come through this association. The association should be national, sub- divided into chapters located in the vari- ous cities and towns, corresponding with each other through this parent organiza tion. Each chapter should be subdivided into sections representing the different branches. Friendship and mutual respect should be cultivated by the interchange of visits between chapters, making the occasion one of business and pleasure. An annual convention should be held for the transac- tion of business, recreation and exchange of hospitality. A monthly or weekly journal should be issued, containing the transactions of the chapters, convention, price-lists, articles of a technical nature, prevailing wages, questions and answers, &c., as is usual for such publications. Finally, I cannot too strongly urge the importance of suitable topics for discus- sion at our meetings. If we want our meetings well attended we must be pre- pared with subjects of interest for discus- sion. To come many miles to a meeting THE IRON AGE. and go through a simple routine is not enough. I hope it will not be long ere our meet- ings will be looked forward to with anticipations of pleasure and _ gratifi- cation. We cannot be too thankful to those gentlemen who have already fur- ished us with interesting and useful pa- pers relating to our industry, and nothing can be of greater value for the stability of our society than discussion and debate at our meetings, whether it be a carefully prepared article or thoughts expressed on the spur of the moment. Let us do all in our power to encourage it. With va- tience and perseverance we cannot fail to ultimately succeed in our aims, and our endeavors will be rewarded by thrift and contentment. This address was listened to with close attention, and the applause which fol- lowed testified to the appreciation of the members. On motion, it was decided to send printed copies of it to the founders throughcut the country and to submit it for publication to The Iron Age. Howard Evans, the secretary, reported the forma- tion some time since of a very successful foundrymen’s association at Pittsburgh, and recorded the achievements of a similar organization at Washington. The members and guests then adjourned to the handsome roof garden of the club, to partake of refreshments. I — The Congdon Brake Shoe Company. The Congdon Brake Shoe Company have for several years operated an iron foundry at Fifty-ninth and Wallace streets, Chi- cago, in the manufacture of brake shoes and other castings for railroads. They have recently added a plant for the manu- facture of open-hearth and crucible steel castings and are now prepared to furnish castings of all kinds for all purposes, in either iron or steel. The works comprise an iron foundry, steel works, a complete pattern shop and a well-equipped machine shop. Nearly all the power used in these works is electric. A Russell engine operates C. & C. dynamos, located in the engine room, from which power is trans- mitted to the several departments of the works. The machinery in the foundry, acrane in the steel works, and the ma- chines in the pattern shop and machine shop are all operated in this way. Arc lights are provided for the large open spaces and incandescent lights are used around the ovens, core benches and in the passageways. The iron foundry melts 25 to 30 tons of metal daity for railroad brake shoes and contract work. The Ross-Meehan brake shoes constitute a large part of the output and are made in a multiplicity of patterns, which depend on the ideas of the mechan- ical departments of the different railroads. The principle, however, is the same in all of the Ross-Meehan shoes. This shoe is composed of a cast-iron body, in which are set small pieces of crucible steel of suitable temper to produce a tire-dressing effect, and so shaped as to apply only to the parts of the tire not worn by the rail and to resist the otherwise rapid wear on the soft iron surfaces. These crucible steel inserts are first cast separately and are then put in place in the mold for the brake shoe, after which the iron is poured and the steel inserts become an integral part of the casting. The peculiarity of the shoe thus compelled the company to undertake the manufacture of steel cast- ings to some extent as well as iron cast- ings. From this step they have gone into the manufacture of steel castings on a more extended scale. The steel works occupy a separate build ing, which has been put up with special adaptation to the purposes for which it is 881 intended. It is a very substactial build- ing, wholly of iron, and is well lighted from the sides and the top. Ventilation is provided through louvers in the deck light on the ridge of the roof. The steel works contain a 15-ton Siemens Martin furnace, as improved by J. A. Herrick of New York, and four 6 pot crucible steel-melting holes, which are heated by a Siemens regenerative furnace The steel furnaces are located at one end of the building, in front of which passes a rail- road track for the receipt of material. Three gas producers designed by Mr. Her- rick stand between the crucible furnace and the railroad track. Coal and other materials are transferred from the original cars to narrow-gauge cars of the Hunt Company pattern. These cars can then be run through any partof the workson tracks, or can be hoisted by an electric hoist, either to the level of the open-hearth fur- nace charging floor on one side, or to the level of the charging floor of the gas pro- ducers on the otherside. Two of the pro- ducers serve the open-hearth furnace, while one producer serves the crucible furnace. The molding floor for steel cast- ings is immediately in the rear of the open-hearth furnace, occupying all that side of the building, while extending from the crucible furnaces are the drying ovens for the molds, annealing furnaces for cast- ings, heating furnaces for blacksmiths, &c. The molding floor is served by two hand jib cranes and one Shaw electric crane, the latter of 30,000 pounds capac- itv. The electric crane has a sliding boom, the foot of which moves up and down the mast on sheaves, while the top swings forward and back, but always at the same hight, being supported in the center by hinged stays and by the heavy chain which communicates motion to it. These works have been arranged so as to save labor as much as possible. The nar- row-gauge tracks running through the works have been located with this end in view. The cranes are placed at such points that they can handle all the flasks, ladles and other heavy articles, transferring them easily from floor to cars, or from cars to furnace, &c. The equipment of the works, it will be seen from this description, will enable the company to furnish castings of any char- acter in either iron or steel that may be desired. Care has been taken in the ar- rangement of the works to introduce the most modern practice in every respect. The steel casting department has been added within the present year and has been very successful from the casting of the first heat. The general officers of the company are Geo. M. Sargent, president; Jas. C. Davis, secretary and treasurer; Wm. D. Sargent, vice-president and man- ager; F. W. Sargent, general agent. a ———— It is known that trouble of some kind originated between the manager and the directors of the recent Food Exposition at Madison Square Garden in this city, also that the net receipts failed to realize ex- pectations. Whether the latter was a cause or an effect is not soclear. A ver- sion of the difficulty is given by the man- ager, David Browa, who refers to his earnest endeavors to suppress adulteration and narrates a flagrant instance where poisoned food was palmed off by using one of the series of ‘‘no-name fictitious brands.” The controversy may assist to arrest the evil complained of. The Board of Walking Delegates in this city have decided to order a general strike on all buildings in New York and Brook- lyn where the electric wiremen are on strike. This takes out nearly all the men employed on the buildings with the exception of the bricklayers. es i en oy eee Aig eg = — i? = , a 0 She nt & rab s. 882 The McCloud Rolling Processes. Sidney McCloud of Chicago, a well- known rolling mill superintendent, has in- vented a method of rolling old steel rails into flat plates, which is now in regular use in several rolling mills, and has proved a success. He has also perfected a process for rolling narrow plates into what he terms ‘‘ wrapped bars,” whereby he se- cures a bar or round of much greater strength than if made as usual in solid form. These are distinct processes, but they may be combined in